When Kait Parrish found out she was pregnant with twins, she imagined matching outfits, sibling giggles, and the life she had always dreamed of. Instead, at 24 weeks, she gave birth to two fragile babies fighting for survival in the NICU. Then, two weeks later, she lost one of them.

In this raw and deeply personal episode, Kait shares the heartbreak of losing Avery, the terrifying rollercoaster of Addie’s early medical battles, and how her perspective on parenting shifted when she became pregnant again. We also talk about the complexity of raising a medically complex child alongside a non-disabled sibling, and the emotions that come with it all.

From NICU trauma to navigating life after loss, Kait’s story is one of resilience, heartbreak, and unexpected love. If you’ve ever felt like your parenting journey didn’t go as planned, you’ll find so much to relate to here.

Plus, our 2nd Annual Friends and Family Fundraiser is live! We’re not asking for your funds, only that you share this fundraiser with your friends, family, and community that may want to contribute. Thank you so much! We couldn’t do this without you!

And a big thank you to MOOG, our sponsor for this episode!

Links:

Help us continue The Rare Life by asking your community to donate to our Friends and Family Fundraiser between Feb 14-Feb 28!

Visit MOOG’s website to see the many ways they support families like ours!

Fill out our contact form to join upcoming discussion groups!

Follow Alyssa and Erica at @caffeinated_caregivers!

Follow us on Instagram @the_rare_life!

Donate to the podcast or Contact me about sponsoring an episode.

Follow the Facebook page.

Join the Facebook group Parents of Children with Rare Conditions.

Access the transcript on the website here.

And if you love this podcast, please leave us a rating or review in your favorite podcast app!